Powerless
by Wholocked Merlin
Summary: After the events of 'Versus Flash' (2x18) Barry has to now deal with the repercussions of fighting Zoom when he was not properly prepared. He thinks his friends might blame him, but instead his 'remaining' friends are there for him. Westallen. Barry hurt/comfort.
1. The downfall of a hero

**I was in tears after Barry gave up his powers to save Wally. I mean he loves Iris and Joe, he knew they would never look at him in the same way if Wally were to die, I know fans keep asking why Barry didn't just kill Zoom when they had Wally but he broke his back last time and Barry isn't that kind of person, I truly think he needed to see the repercussions of going too fast (Pun not intended.)**

 **Now this is my take on what should have happened after the events of the most recent episode (Versus Zoom.)**

Bartholomew Henry Allen had always known that his powers helped define who he was, without them what was the purpose of everything he had gone through in his life? Nevertheless he knew he had to save Wally West because that is who he was, a hero and not a thinker; he would do anything to save the ones he loved from being hurt emotionally or physically in any way, shape or form. In addition, he knew that losing his powers could change him forever, he had never thought about life without them; he had experienced one day without them but compared to his entire life, he didn't know how he was going to deal with it. With the threat of Zoom still looming over, Barry had now realised that, he's life wasn't going to be a long one.

"Barry?" Joe's voice was distance and full of regret; he wanted to save Barry from this tragedy because he knew his honourable son would be affected by this loss, no one knew how much Barry Allen needed to be the Flash.

"It's all right Joe." It was what everyone needed to hear, that Barry was ready to face this change, but the truth was they heard it in his voice, he was terrified of becoming a 'normal' human again because he was so used to who he was, without it, who was he? Who would he become?

Barry climbed onto the treadmill, he started slowly because he needed to saviour his last moments of being a hero. He then closed his eyes and thought of everything he had done as the Flash, he held it close in his mind and took hold of his favourite Flash memory; the day Iris accepted his powers. "He's slowing down." Caitlin said saddened, Barry felt a tightening sensation in his chest; his force was draining out of him, he began to feel weaker and his head started to burn with agony but he kept on jogging.

"The speed force is leaving his body." Harry explained.

"He's becoming human again." Cisco choked out, he placed his hair in his hands and watched on at his friend. Barry breathed out deeply, his heart was racing in his ears and his vision was blurred; he reached out his shaking hands to try and turn the treadmill off but he fell down onto his knees, he moved over and sat down by the shutting down treadmill.

Iris and Joe were the first to make it out, Iris got down onto one knee and placed her hand on Barry's shoulder, "Barry, are you okay?" She questioned.

"I'm okay, I'm okay." Barry said out of breath, he stayed in a sitting position on the floor as Iris made a fuss out of him but checking his temperature with the back of her hand. They both looked up as Jay chuckled to himself, Iris felt herself shielding Barry with the help of Cisco, Caitlin and Joe.

Zoom charged off and took hold of Barry's neck, he threw him up against the wall; Barry felt his head crack off the pipe behind him and he felt an instant sickening feeling deep down in his stomach, "Thank you Flash. " Jay spat in his face, Barry tried his best to escape from the hold but all he could feel was the need for oxygen and all he could do was try his best not to cry. For the first time in a long time he felt fear, it was a horrible feeling to have but he couldn't escape it; at the moment, Barry thought he was going to die.

Wells held his gun up to defend Barry but Caitlin ran in to stop Jay the old fashioned way, with words, "Please, if anything you ever said to me was true, or anything we ever shared was real, then please just let him go. Please. I know some piece of you did care for me, so if you have any humanity left, then please, let him go." Caitlin pleaded, Zoom held on tighter to Barry's neck and then threw him to the floor, Barry gasped for breathe; it burned his throat and he felt extremely light-headed.

Zoom dashed off and picked up Caitlin on his way out, "Caitlin!" Cisco screamed running to the door way, Barry turned around to see his friend be dragged away by the very thing he had helped create.

"Barry?" Iris questioned, "Barry? Can you hear me?" He shook his head and made eye contact with Iris but the image blurred and all he saw was darkness, it was like he was falling into an endless pit of entity; he was lost now and no one, not one person alive could save him.

*the flash*

Alive. Everyone who can breathe is alive, but what is living? Is someone is a coma living a productive life? Is someone constantly on the run from danger, living a life? There is a huge difference between being alive and having a life. At the present moment at STAR labs there were five souls that were currently alive. but in that millisecond of life none of them were truly leading a fun and fundamental life because they were lost, some more than others.

Iris West, one day Iris West- Allen was sat by the bedside of her future life partner, but that future was lost to her at the moment because her Barry Allen was so lost and no one he knew could find him, he had to find himself – it was the only way, he was going to win.

Iris had music playing on next to Barry's bedside, the last seconds of _'Smother'_ by Daughter was playing; it was a depressing song about an unlived life but it was in one of Barry's sleeping playlists, it was something he had made for Iris after he had become paralysed, it was a collection of songs that he wanted played when he was ill or in a short term coma, there were songs he would be comfortable to wake up to. Iris had listened to the tracks so many times she knew them word by word and what order they came in, it comes to show how much Barry was injured when being the Flash or as he liked to think, being _himself._

So as the song hit its last beat _and 'One last time'_ by Jaymes Young was about to start, Barry started to come around, he blinked a few times and moaned, he moved his hand over the bed and Iris unconsciously placed her hand on top of it, her eyes trailed up, "This song is a bit ominous," She started, "You should really put more uplifting songs on this playlist, I mean it's like you're expecting yourself to die." Barry nodded, he tried to put a small saddened smirk on his face but it came across as a little cry for help.

"I-" Barry tried to speak, but it was like he had swallowed a bag of nails.

"No!" Cisco ran in and placed his finger on Barry's lip, "The scans came back, if you speak or even strain your vocal cords you might never talk again; without your speed force you don't have feeling abilities any more, so like the rest of us you're going to have to wait 48 hours before saying a word, just in case."

Barry mouthed _'What about Caitlin?'_

Cisco was not good a lip-reading but Iris was, "Worry about Caitlin when your back to your normal self, let Dad do his job for now, Harry and Cisco are looking for her too." Cisco nodded and left the two alone.

 _'_ _What happened?'_ Barry mouthed towards Iris.

"Well you collapsed, Cisco and Harry had to save you but you've been out for the last day or so." Iris explained.

 **One day ago**

"Barry?" Iris walked over and knelt down next to Barry, the boy was looking in various different directions, "Barry, can you hear me?" She asked gently, he locked his eyes with hers.

"Light." He choked back, "I can see lights." He coughed back.

Harry twisted around on his heel, "Miss West, you need to lie him down now." He charged over just as Barry fell back in to the abyss he had come to call a second home.

"What's wrong with him?" Joe asked jogging over.

"Imagine having your life force taken away, everything that makes you, _you_. And then be starved of oxygen for a long time." Harry told them, "We need to turn him," All three of them turned Barry on his side, it wasn't long until Barry's body disagreed with everything going on and he started to lose control, "It's okay, I expected this." He kept his arm firm over Barry's chest, "Miss West, can you get a get Ramon to get a gurney for me?" He asked.

Iris nodded with tears brimming in her eyes, she got up and charged off glancing once more at the fitting man before running off; it was then she realised that Barry was the one for her.

 **Present day**

"I brought him his old stretch book and pencils, remember that year he went through, when he wouldn't say a word." Joe said to Iris.

"But he drew everything and won the school art completion, I remember." She answered, she flipped it open, "He would never draw me," She smiled sadly, "But he could capture likeness very well, I wonder if he still can." Iris walked into Barry's infirmary, "Barry." The boy turned around, "Here." She placed the tools in his hands, "I'm going out to get some lunch, would you like anything?"

Barry drew on the pad and turned it around, _'No, thank you x.'_

"Be back later." Iris smiled walking out.


	2. Without a fight

Barry was sleeping deeply when Iris got back; she had a small rucksack of Barry's clothes and two coffees, one for her and another for Cisco. "One Flash for you," Iris stated handing the drink over to Cisco, she froze for a second, "I just a horrible thought." She said throwing a plastic bag into the bin. Her eyes travelled to Barry, she had to turn away from him because he looked so much like his old self but without his powers he would never truly feel like Barry Allen again. "What if-"

"I know what you're going to say..." Cisco told her, "It won't take long for the people of Central city to realise he's gone."

Iris looked over at Barry, he was hung over the side of the bed and had the sketch book hanging limply in his hand; she walked over and gently took a hold of it, "Oh," She dropped the book in slight shock, "Barry always used to draw pictures that linked to the emotions he felt, he would draw his Mum and Dad in sad expressions," She said a little high pitched, "But this is both a fantastic piece of art but I can't look at it."

"Why?" Cisco asked, he walked over, "That's creepy." He picked up the book; it was a very elegant and perfect drawing of Caitlin, half of her was angry and the other half sad, he flipped it over, "Well that's nicer."

"Yeah, but who is that?" Iris asked taking hold of it, "I've never seen her before."

"Well he didn't complete it," Cisco told her, "Maybe it will become clearer." The picture was off a girl with long wavy hair, she had a small smile on her face and her arms were placed on her hips, she was wearing a suit with a huge _'s'_ covering her chest.

"Kara," Barry muttered painfully.

"Shush!" Cisco shouted, "Do you want to lose your voice forever!?"

"Who's Kara?" Iris asked.

Barry looked up at Cisco, "Okay speak but only a few sentences, if you lose it, don't blame me."

"When I was running earlier at 4 times my usual speed, I accidently went so fast I created a portal that I went in and to you, I came right out again." Barry stated.

"That's was the blip!" Cisco exclaimed, "Your vitals disappeared for a fraction of a second, why didn't you tell us?"

"I never got chance, you all spoke over me." Barry coughed harshly into his hand, "Ow." He moaned, "I stopped Kara from falling out a window but she didn't need help because she could fly."

"You went to Earth 2?" Iris questioned.

"No, it was a new one. Earth 3, so to speak." He said hoarsely.

"That's something you should have told us, but then again we didn't give you time." Cisco said looking at the floor.

"She was an alien who was sent to Earth when her planet died, she is known as _'Supergirl.'_ I was there for about a day, she got me home." Barry smiled, "You were right, it hurts to talk." He coughed harshly again.

"No more speaking and I want details later." Cisco told him walking away.

"Is _secret_ your middle name, Barry Allen?" Iris asked, "I always learn something new."

"It was amazing there but even they have problems, she was wonderful and so was her version of Earth." He sat up, he began to cough so much that he started to struggle to breathe; he placed his hand on his chest, "Iris." He choked.

"I'll get Harry." She ran out and seconds later they were back, Barry was slowly turning blue; Harry handed him a dish and he spat out blood, "That can't be good." Iris muttered sitting next to him, she placed a gentle arm around his shoulder width; Harry shook his head and stabbed an injection into Barry's neck, Iris soon felt his limp head onto his shoulder, "Is he okay?"

"I put him to sleep." Harry stated, he picked up a tablet and showed Iris a picture, "He's throat is completely inflamed and it was trying to heal but he shouldn't have started talking."

"Barry still thinks he's a meta-human, but he isn't." Iris felt salty warm tears drip down her cheeks, she tucked her face into Barry's shoulder and guided him down to the bed; she curled herself up and placed her head on his chest so she could hear his heart beat at a normal steady rate.

Harry walked away from her knowing she would rather be alone with Barry.

There was no saying that their current situation would be repaired, the days of the Flash could truly be over, but was the life of Barry Allen over? Could the team work together to fix the wrongs they had done? Would Barry still try and be a hero, even without superpowers? If Iris Allen knew one thing, Barry had fought so hard and had been knocked down so many times but he always got back up – this fight wasn't over yet.

 **I am taking suggestions for Flash fanfiction (I like Barry Whump, I find it easier to write because he gets hurt so much in the show!) I ship Westallen.**


End file.
